AIAA Foundation Administers Iridium NEXT Scholarship Fund

**Updated 21 March 2013

AIAA has been selected to administer a new scholarship for Iridium.  Submission Deadline is 15 April 2013 1 May 2013.

Objective

The Iridium NEXT Scholarship Fund will award scholarships of up to $20,000 to students who have demonstrated high standards of academic excellence in the “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with a focus on aerospace studies.

The scholarship fund aims to help create a workforce that will further the mission of Iridium NEXT, a bold vision for a second-generation satellite constellation to expand Iridium’s capability to meet rapidly expanding demand for truly global mobile communications on land, at sea, and in the sky.

Scholarships awarded in 2013 will value:

• $20,000
• $10,000
• $5,000

Eligibility

The following eligibility requirements shall be met by applicants for the Iridium NEXT Scholarship:

1. Applicant must have completed at least one academic term of full-time college work and will be a full time undergraduate student during the next academic year. For European students this means that a student cannot be a PhD candidate, and that they are a postsecondary student that will graduate in 2015 or later.
2. Applicant must have a college grade point average of not less than the equivalent of a 3.500 on a 4.000 scale (top 15th percentile of your class).
3. Applicant shall be enrolled in a program of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics with a focus in aerospace.
4. Applicant must meet one of the following criteria:
• Have been an intern for an Iridium partner in the past or be currently serving as an intern for an Iridium partner (see listing at end of criteria document)
• Be a current student member of AIAA
5. The award may be used for tuition plus educational expenses (such as books, lab fees, room, board, etc.); total amount of tuition and educational expenses are to be determined by the educational institution the student attends. If selected to receive an Iridium NEXT Scholarship, the applicant must be able to utilize at least 50% of the award. Excess funds will be returned to the AIAA Foundation and will be allocated to future Iridium NEXT Scholarships.
6. Sophomores and juniors who receive an award are eligible to reapply for the award in subsequent years provided they continue to meet all eligibility criteria.
7. Applicants may be students of any nationality not restricted by the U.S. State Department, in full-time study at any accredited college or university in the world.

Submission Process

Applicant must submit the application and all materials in a single package. Letters of recommendation each need to be in a separate sealed and signed envelope and on university or corporate letterhead. Full selection criteria and items needed can be found on the Iridium Application Sheet.

Packages must be RECEIVED on or before 15 April 2013 1 May 2013.

Application packages must be sent to:

Iridium NEXT Scholarship
c/o AIAA Student Programs
1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500
Reston, VA 20191
USA